Daddy's Girl
by joanie09
Summary: Written for pucklberry drabble meme, Puck has been seeing Beth, and Rachel finds out.


It was another Saturday afternoon, and once again, Puck had told his friends that he was working a double shift at sheets n things, so he couldn't hang out. Luckily, the only person who would be likely to know this wasn't true was Finn, who being the dumb fuck he was, never caught on. He was glad his friend wasn't very bright. Made his life a hell of a lot easier. It was useful too that they all knew Puck enjoyed making money, so him working wasn't too inconceivable. Sure it was hardly cleaning cougars' pools, but he was earning a wage and he could buy slushies, gas up his truck and pay people to buy him beer. So it was all good.

Just about noon, like every Saturday, he pulled his car up outside a house a few towns over from Lima. He sat outside for a few minutes; he always needed to get himself together before doing this. Not because he was nervous, but because he didn't want to come over too excited. That was not badass at all. Jumping out of the truck, he walked up to the front door and rang the bell. An attractive woman opened the door and stepped aside, "come on in."

He followed her through to the living room, and a smile lit up his face as a pretty, brown hair little girl grinned back at him, and on wobbly feet (she'd just started walking) toddled over to him. He picked her up, peppering her little face with kisses, "Hey, Beth," he said softly, almost whispering to the child. She giggled happily, hands gripping his cheeks.

"Dada!" she squealed

Ok, so maybe there needs to be a rewind. His daughter is a year old now, and he's been seeing her every weekend since she was about 3 months old. Keeping THAT a secret? Not so easy, if he wasn't 'working', then he had 'fight club'. Throw in some family trips, babysitting his sister and being sick and you have his impressive catalogue of excuses as to why he's never free on a Saturday. It hasn't been easy, but it has been worth it. Because he gets to see the best thing he ever did for a few hours every week.

It had happened one day when he was genuinely out for a family day. He, his mom and sister had been in a little cafe having lunch when he heard a baby cry, looking up he had seen Shelby holding that crying infant. His daughter. He excused himself and followed her out

"Ms. Corcoran," he called after her, jogging over.

"Noah," she said in surprise, in the middle of buckling the child into her car seat.

"How is she?" he has asked

She had explained and they had spent a few minutes talking. She had let him hold her, and he hadn't wanted to give her back, so he'd asked if he could see her again, and amazingly, the older woman had agreed. On the condition that nobody knew right now, and he had readily agreed.

That's what brought him to here, somewhere along the line it had been agreed that he could identify himself as her father, he was part of her life and so he should be allowed to be the person he was to her. It was unusual but he was just happy to be with her.

Now as they rolled around on the floor as he tickled her and she giggled happily, he had never been happier or more at ease. This was who he was meant to be, a father to this little girl, even if only for a few hours each week. So immersed in playing with his little girl was he that he never heard the commotion at the front door and someone walking into the living room until he heard

"NOAH?"

Jumping a bit, he looked up, "Rachel, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she sniped, looking from him to the girl on the floor, looking curiously up at her.

"I'm visiting my daughter."

"Well I'm visiting my mother," she shot back.

"You can't tell anyone about this," he sighed, "nobody is meant to know."

He picked Beth up; it was nearing her nap time, so he walked right past Rachel and upstairs to put her down. When he returned, Rachel was still there.

"Why are you doing this, Noah?" she asked

"I'm visiting my kid, Berry," he sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me? I'm your girlfriend"

He looked at her, "I promised not to say anything ok? Shit, Rach, I just wanted to be able to see her, I didn't care what I had to do, or what secret I had to keep to do that."

"But you know I wouldn't have told anyone!"

"You'd also have tried to talk me out of it," he replied, she looked like she was going to argue, but she didn't, because he was right.

"Only because I wouldn't want you hurt," she said softly.

"It hurt more not seeing her," he shrugged, "I get to see her once a week, and it's the best part of my week. Of my life, alongside you, don't make me give it up, I won't."

She grasped his hand, "I would never," she told him, "I just don't want you to get your heart broken again if this ever stops."

"It won't, she calls me dad. I'm her dad, I'm always gonna be, Rach, it's all I ever wanted to be, you know that."

She nodded, "Ok, I know. I won't say anything, I promise."

"Thanks, it's about time to go for today anyway, but you wanna see her first?"

Smiling, she nodded and let him lead her to Beth's room, she lay sleeping peacefully in her crib. "It's easier to leave when she's asleep," he admitted, "she can't cry when I go, otherwise I don't think I could."

"She's beautiful, looks like you," she said

"Yeah," he agreed, "come on. Let's go."

As Rachel headed out and waited for him, he stroked Beth's cheek and leaned down to peck her forehead, "daddy'll see you next week, angel. Love you."

With a smile, he followed Rachel out.


End file.
